Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Vintage Cars on Amelia Island, Florida

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An unprecedented collection of the world’s finest vintage motor cars will roll into Amelia Island, March 14th, 2009 for RM Auctions’ highly anticipated Automobiles of Amelia Island event.

A popular and permanent fixture on the auto events calendar since 1999, the annual multi-million dollar auction will once again be held in conjunction with the famed Amelia Island to make for an ultimate vintage car weekend for motoring enthusiasts. Held on the grounds of the stunning Ritz-Carlton Hotel – a setting only surpassed in beauty by the magnificent cars on offer – the event weekend is commonly referred to as the ‘Pebble Beach of the East Coast’, attracting fashionable collectors and enthusiasts from around the globe.

“Our Automobiles of Amelia Island auction is an important event on the collector car calendar as it attracts many European and East Coast enthusiasts,” said Ian Kelleher, Managing Director of RM Auctions.

“From speed to style, this year’s event will feature a magnificent roster of collector cars, highlighted by several historic race cars, some of which share Florida’s rich automotive racing history,” he added.

For the car enthusiasts amongst us, some 100 vintage motor cars are set to cross the block during the single-day RM auction. Highlighting the exceptional line-up is the legendary 1911 Oldsmobile Autocrat “Yellow Peril” race car, a historic 1927 Bugatti T51 with an extensive racing history, and an innovative and beautifully restored 1954 Packard Panther Concept car, one of just four built and the only one in roadster form.

1911 Oldsmobile Autocrat “Yellow Peril” race carThe “Yellow Peril” has a fascinating vintage racing history. Regarded as one of the biggest and most powerful vehicles of its era, the original owner, John Greenway Albert, modified the car shortly after purchase in an effort to make “race ready”. Special modifications included constructing a one-off aluminum race body and a unique gas generating system – the latter which saw Albert emerge as a pioneer of fuel injection. Painted bright yellow, Albert name the car “The Yellow Peril” and raced it on various local dirt and board tracks, reportedly often removing the fenders and headlamps to further lighten the load.

Other notable highlights for the event include: a 1941 Chrysler Newport, one of the earliest concept cars built and used as the Official Pace Car for the 1941 Indianapolis 500; a stunning 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Faux Cabriolet “Charmaine”, one of the last Bugattis built before World War II and formerly owned by a remarkable series of famous British personalities; and a magnificent collection of 1932 V8 Fords.
RM’s Automobiles of Amelia Island auction event will be held at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton, 4750 Amelia Island Parkway, Amelia Island on March 14th, 2009. A full day auction preview will be held March 13th from 9am to 6pm followed by the auction from 11am on March 14th. Admission to the auction is by catalog only, which admits both the catalog holder and a guest. The full-color collectable catalog is available for $100 U.S. (plus shipping), by calling (800)-211-4371 or visiting www.rmauctions.com.

About RM Auctions, Inc.
Celebrating nearly 30 years in the collector car industry, RM Auctions Inc. and its associated companies are responsible for acquisitions, restorations and sales of the world’s rarest and most valuable vintage automobiles, including record-breaking sales in Maranello, Italy and London, England. RM’s restoration division achieved unprecedented accolades in 2006, when the Company earned “Best of Show” honors at the world’s top three collector car events in a single year. www.rmauctions.com

The Concourse d’Elegance is held on Amelia Island, Florida March 13-15, 2009

Two-day Event Rally, Roast and Ride to Raise Awareness of Breast Cancer on March 27-28, 2009

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Charleston Breast Center and Rehava Partner Up to Raise Awareness of Breast Cancer
Two-day Event Rally, Roast and Ride Will Take Place on March 27-28, 2009

CHARLESTON, SC (January 31, 2009) – This Spring, show your support for breast cancer patients by joining rēhava ~ Real Estate Store and the 2009 Green Idea Home for a two-day event titled Rally, Roast and Ride, benefiting the Charleston Breast Center. The event kicks off with a Rally, Roast and Ride Oyster Roast on Friday, March 27, from 7:00-10:00 p.m. at Gold Bug Island located in Mount Pleasant, and will continue on Saturday, March 28 at 1:00 p.m. with Rally and Ride for Breast Cancer event.

The oyster roast is open to the public and tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the rēhava store, or at www.rehava.com/tickets or by calling 843-747-4762. Your ticket purchase entitles you to enjoy oysters, roasted pork and corn, cob Cajun-style and fresh salads prepared by the Chefs Brigade, beer and wine as well as a silent auction promoting Health and Wellness. Live music is provided by The Bushels.

The rēhava ~ Real Estate Store and American Biker invite local bikers to participate in the ride on Saturday, March 28, 2009. The ride starts at 1pm from the new location of American Biker on College Park Road, off I-26, Exit 203. Tickets for the ride are $25, those riders that will purchase tickets for the oyster roast will be automatically entered in the ride. American Biker will be at the oyster roast showcasing a variety of motorcycles and signing up for the Saturday rally and ride. For more information about the ride, call 843-747-4762.

Both events are planned for those who want to make a personal difference in the fight against breast cancer and raise funds for a non-profit organization that is devoted to saving lives of women in the Lowcountry.

According to statistics, every three minutes a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer. In the Charleston Tri-county area, approximately 367 women are diagnosed each year. The annual cost of breast cancer care is around $11,440 for an average patient, which puts a tremendous financial stress on patients and their families. The Charleston Breast Center offers financial support to local women going through breast cancer treatment in South Carolina, allowing them to focus solely on recovery. For more information, please visit www.charlestonbreastcenter.com or call (843) 556-0116.

Celebrate St Patricks Day Savannah Style!

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The 2009 St Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Tuesday, March 17th. It will be the 185th time the parade takes place in the city of Savannah.

St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in honor of St. Patrick’s dedication to Christianity. In Savannah, the the day begins with the celebration of Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and is followed by the parade which begins at 10:15 am.

This year, more than 400,000 people are expected to come to Savannah to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The Savannah St Patrick’s Day celebration is the oldest, and one of the largest, in the nation.
Every fountain within in the city is dyed green and the party happens all over the city. The parade itself is the second largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the United States.

click here to view the event calendar post about St Patrick’s Day Parade

SCAD presents “To Never Sleep Again…,”by artist Cat Chow

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SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah College of Art and Design presents “To Never Sleep Again…,” an exhibition by New York-based artist Cat Chow, Feb. 24-March 27, at Pei Ling Chan Gallery, 322 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The exhibition will culminate in a performance presented in conjunction with the SCAD-Savannah Gallery Hop March 27, 6:30 p.m. at the gallery, with a reception from 6-8 p.m. The exhibition, performance and reception are free and open to the public.

Cat Chow is an artist, designer, educator and performer. She creates conceptual works, often transforming the mundane into poetic contemplations of materiality. Elegantly simple in form, yet complex in construction, her labor-intensive work, which began as a series of garments, is fascinating for its intricacy and use of common materials in unexpected ways.

“To Never Sleep Again…” features work from Chow’s diverse creative practices that span sculpture, craft and design. The exhibition focuses on Chow’s innovative use of materials and highlights her intricate, repetitious and often meditative artistic process of converting common items such as keys and fasteners into compelling conceptual works of art. The title of the show suggests the seemingly endless acts of labor that have become a signature of Chow’s meticulous handwork.

Chow’s performance on March 27 has been created specifically for “To Never Sleep Again…” The performance will blur the boundaries between music, performance, architecture, fashion and dance, and will showcase Chow’s diverse background as a performer, costume designer, musician and dancer. The performance will last approximately 20-30 minutes.

For more information, e-mail exhibitions@scad.edu or visit www.scadexhibitions.com.

Florida Winery Wins Again

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ST. AUGUSTINE, FL – The San Sebastian Winery of St. Augustine, FL and Lakeridge Winery of Clermont, FL have done it again! Winning a total of fifteen awards at the 21st Annual International Wine and Juice Competition held at the Florida State Fair; both wineries continue to demonstrate the success they have enjoyed since their first entry at the Florida State Fair back in 1988.

Taking home the gold were two of San Sebastian’s top selling wines, Port, their top selling dessert wine and Vintners White their second top selling table wine. Coming in a close second and winning the silver were San Sebastian’s Vintners Red, Blanc De Fleur, and Cream Sherry and Lakeridge’s Southern White and Blanc Du Bois. Achieving the bronze are San Sebastian’s Stover Reserve, Blanc Du Bois, and Castillo Red and Lakeridge’s Crescendo Special Reserve, Blanc Du Bois, Chablis, Stover Reserve, and Cuvee Blanc.

Both San Sebastian Winery and Lakeridge Winery offer complimentary tours and wine tastings seven days a week. Their wines are also available for purchase at participating Publix, Target, Sam’s Club, Whole Foods, Sweet Bay, World Market, Fresh Market, Wine Warehouse, Total Wine and More, Winn-Dixie, and Albertsons stores throughout Florida. San Sebastian and Lakeridge wines have always been produced by “green” standards, and dedicated to remain stewards of our environment. For more information please visit www.lakeridgewiney.com or www.sansebastianwinery.com

157 King Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 826-1594
www.sansebastianwinery.com